How to Grow Butte Potato
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Butte Potato
Solanum tuberosum 'Butte'
vegetableButte is a high-yielding, russet-type potato variety developed by the USDA, known for its excellent storage capability and versatility in cooking. It produces large, oblong tubers with brown skin and white flesh, making it ideal for baking, mashing, and processing. This variety is a staple in commercial potato production and home gardens alike.
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Example Butte Potato timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant Butte Potato
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
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Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
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Harvest Butte Potato
Around Jun 26≈ 70 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Butte Potato dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 3-8; prefers cooler climates with adequate moisture
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Get my Butte Potato timeline →Growth Stages
Seed Piece Sprouting
7-14 daysSeed pieces are planted and develop sprouts and roots in cool, moist soil
Ensure soil is 45°F or warmer for sprouting; maintain consistent moisture; protect from extreme cold after sprouting
Vegetative/Shoot Emergence
2-3 weeksGreen shoots emerge from soil, developing into leafy stems; underground stolons begin forming
Hill soil around emerging plants twice to encourage tuber development and prevent greening; maintain even watering; apply mulch for weed suppression
Vegetative Growth
3-4 weeksVigorous foliage growth with robust stems and compound leaves; tuber formation accelerates underground
Continue hilling; monitor for pests and diseases; maintain consistent moisture; fertilize if growth appears slow; support stems if needed
Flowering/Tuber Bulking
2-3 weeksSmall white, pink, or purple flowers appear; largest tuber growth occurs; leaves remain green and healthy
Maintain steady watering during this critical bulking period; avoid excess nitrogen; monitor for late blight and Colorado potato beetles; do not hill further
Maturity/Harvest Ready
Varies; typically 2+ weeks after flowering endsFoliage yellows, wilts, and dies back; skin firms and thickens on tubers, making them less prone to damage; tubers reach maximum size
Stop watering 2 weeks before harvest to firm skin; check tuber size by carefully digging in a hill; harvest when foliage is fully dead or kill vines 2 weeks before harvest date
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
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Hand-pick beetles and egg clusters; use row covers; apply neem oil or spinosad; use insecticidal soap; rotate crops; encourage natural predators
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Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; use reflective mulches; encourage beneficial insects; remove infested leaves
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Use reflective mulches; row covers; neem oil; avoid planting near wild potatoes or peppers; manage weeds; resistant varieties
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Improve air circulation; avoid overhead watering; apply copper fungicide or chlorothalonil preventatively; remove infected foliage; plant resistant varieties; ensure good drainage
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Remove lower infected leaves; improve air circulation; apply fungicide; mulch to prevent soil splash; remove crop debris; rotate crops
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Crop rotation; remove larvae by hand during tilling; use beneficial nematodes; avoid planting in grass-rich soil; trap crops
Uses
Baking and mashing
CulinaryButte potatoes are ideal for baking and mashing due to their starchy, fluffy texture when cooked. They absorb butter and cream beautifully, making them perfect for mashed potatoes and other comfort dishes. [source]
French fries and processing
CulinaryThe large size, low sugar content, and excellent frying characteristics make Butte a favorite for homemade and commercial french fries and potato chips. [source]
Long-term storage
HouseholdButte potatoes are renowned for their superior storage longevity, remaining firm and usable for 4-6 months under proper cool, dark conditions with minimal sprouting. [source]
Soups and stews
CulinaryThe firm, waxy structure holds shape well during cooking, making Butte excellent for chunky soups, stews, and potato salads. [source]
Livestock feed
WildlifeSurplus or cull Butte potatoes and potato vines can be fed to livestock as a nutritious supplemental feed. [source]
Harvest Tips
Harvest when foliage is fully yellowed and died back (90 days typically) or at 70 days for immature 'new potatoes.' Carefully dig around plants to avoid bruising tubers. Handle gently and allow skin to cure in cool (50-60°F), dark, well-ventilated space for 1-2 weeks before storage. Store in darkness at 45-50°F with high humidity (90%+) for long-term storage.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 Butte potatoes were developed by the USDA and have become one of the most widely grown potato varieties in North America due to their exceptional yield and storage ability.
- 🌱 Potato plants are actually in the same family (Solanaceae) as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant—yet only the underground tubers are edible; the fruits and foliage contain toxic alkaloids.
- 🌱 A single Butte potato plant can produce 8-15 large tubers, with total yields often reaching 10-15 tons per acre under optimal growing conditions, making them economically important for commercial farms.
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